In Photos: Mariners star Julio Rodriguez makes it onto prestigious SI cover on the back of swashbuckling rookie season

"Poster boy of the new age of baseball," Julio Rodriguez went one step closer to affirming that statement after his dashing Sports Illustrated debut.

"Julio Rodríguez on the cover of Sports Illustrated's MLB Preview Issue (via @SInow)," Talkin' Baseball, Twitter

The rookie was a part of and the highlight of SI's feature story "Julio Rodriguez Is the Star Baseball Needs" by Tom Verducci. It was an insightful read into the life of the swashbuckling outfielder and all the adversities he's overcome to become one of the best players in the league. It is truly aspiration and hard work that takes you places, and Julio is a testament to that.

"Julio Rodríguez is the star baseball needs https://trib.al/oTh8tPG," Sports Illustrated, Twitter

For a guy who's from a small town in the Dominican Republic, to be hitting in front of 50,000 people at MLB games, Julio Rodriguez is really just living the dream.

“I want to inspire those after me," Rodriguez said to SI. "You can get there if you work hard. If you dedicate yourself, you are able to live out your dreams."

One thing that was very clear from his interviews was that he wanted to bring a dynasty to the Mariners and leave his footprint on the game. And in a new era of baseball that demands more speed, more athleticism and is way more entertaining, many believe that there is no better practitioner for that than Julio Rodriguez.

A superstar in every sense of the word, the world really is Julio's oyster after he covered himself in glory post a historic 2022 season. And while the 22-year-old has taken giant strides already, it looks like he is only getting started.

Julio Rodriguez's 2022 was one for the ages

The Dominican rookie was signed by the Seattle Mariners as an international free agent in 2017, and made his debut five years later in 2022.

The 2022 season was a special year for the youngster, with him batting .284/.345/.509 (eighth in the AL) with 84 runs, 28 home runs, 75 RBI, 25 steals and 140 strikeouts in 511 at-bats. At the tender age of 21, he became the youngest qualified batter in major league baseball.

"Julio Rodríguez is your 2022 AL Rookie of the Year!" Sportsnet, Twitter

His impressive performances on the field culminated in him being handed his All-Star debut, while also winning the Silver Slugger Award and the AL Rookie of the Year Award.